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Sign VoteVets Letter on the Muslim Community Center
Iraq War Veteran and Chairman of VoteVets.org Jon Soltz contacted Veterans Today and asked us to forward this letter from Iraq and Afghanistan War Veterans who are in favor of the controversial Muslim Community Center being planned near ground zero in New York.
Although Jon and I do not see eye to eye on every socio-economic, religious or political issue, several points raised by Jon warrant a closer look, because WE are on the same page:
1. We at Veterans Today have no problem with anyone following the money trail to determine IF planners of the Muslim Community Center, especially fund raisers have ties with Muslim extremists groups. However,
2. The longer this controversy drags on the more it makes our occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan appear to be a Judeo-Christian Crusade. That in mind,
3. As Jon mentions, Muslim extremists will USE any appearance of a War on Islam as a recruiting tool although Al Queda and the Taliban for instance have no need for conscription – they have more than enough volunteers from a pool of volunteers called the Muslim World.
Jon Soltz is onto something here. It would behoove Veterans of all generations who question and/or oppose the continued occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan to set aside differences with moderate Iraq and Afghanistan War Vets and join VoteVets in this effort. SIGN THEIR LETTER!
We would like to see every member of Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) join in this effort, but one need not be a Veteran of Iraq or Afghanistan to sign this letter – any Veteran or family member is WELCOME to sign it.
However, if readers find themselves among the minority that seriously believe we are or should be on a Judeo-Christian Crusade, your remarks or comments ARE NOT WELCOME.
We define Judeo-Christian Crusade obviously different than we would the Christian Crusades of old. One response below clarified that there could be no such thing as a Judeo-Christian Crusade. However, our definition fits more closely the ties between right-wing Christian elements and Zionists. Put another way the animosity felt between Christians and Jews combined with Jewish persecution by Christians and others during the Crusades of the Middle Ages made such a concept impossible. However, the neo-conservative elements of Evangelical Christianity and the neoconservatives of the Jewish variety had much in common outside of differences over the role played by Jesus. That one common denominator is hatred of Muslims.
Robert L. Hanafin, Major, U.S. Air Force-Retired, GS-14, U.S. Civil Service-Retired, Editorial Board Member, Veterans Today News Network
Dear Veterans Today Readers,
Since the debate erupted, we’ve [VoteVets] kept out of the argument over the planned Community Center for Muslims in Lower Manhattan (falsely called the “Ground Zero Mosque”). Initially, we believed this was a local issue for New Yorkers to discuss. But, we can no longer stay silent. We need your help.
We’re asking for you to join Iraq and Afghanistan veterans who already signed an open letter to the developer of the site, Sharif El-Gamal, supporting his right to develop the site, and expressing the view that allowing his community center to move forward will be a powerful tool in defeating the same terrorists we fought against in war.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN OUR OPEN LETTER ON THE COMMUNITY CENTER FOR MUSLIMS
There are two very important reasons we Iraq and Afghanistan veterans feel we must speak out. First and foremost, when we signed up for service, we swore to uphold the Constitution. For all the talk these days from some quarters about the importance of protecting the Constitution and allowing the free market to work unfettered, those same people are fighting against a person’s right to buy property and worship freely. Our duty to protect the Constitution doesn’t end when our service does. It’s up to us to stand up for the right for all Americans to enjoy the Constitutional freedoms that so many around the world don’t have.
Secondly, allowing the Community Center to move forward will deal a blow to the propaganda of al Qaeda and Islamic extremists, who recruit on the talking point that the United States is in a war against Islam. Of course, we’re not. But, if those forces of intolerance win, it will certainly appear that we are in a war against one religion – Islam.
As Matthew Alexander, a former interrogator in Iraq, and VoteVets.org member wrote at the Huffington Post, “Imagine an al Qaeda recruiter attempting to sway a potential charge by citing an imaginary American war against Muslims but having to face the counterargument that Americans built a Muslim community center near the site of the former Twin Towers. The Cordoba House would be a powerful symbol of U.S. tolerance and freedom that will stand in direct contradiction to al Qaeda’s narrative that Americans hate Muslims.”
That’s the point. Defeating al Qaeda will take the use of force. But it will also take destroying their ability to recruit, and that means winning hearts and minds. As veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan know, having the people on your side is of utmost importance.
CLICK HERE TO JOIN US IN PROTECTING THE CONSTITUTION AND AMERICA
Please take a moment to click the link above to join Iraq and Afghanistan veterans in this open letter, supporting the right of Muslims to build a community center on property they lawfully bought. This is too important an issue for us to stay silent on any longer.
Sincerely,
Jon Soltz
(Follow me on Twitter – @jonsoltz)
Iraq War Veteran
Chairman, VoteVets.org
(Follow me on Twitter – @jonsoltz)
VETERANS TODAY EDITORIAL COMMENT:
We believe that there are too many Americans who no shit believe and promote a War with Islam. A war against the Muslim world is one WE cannot win. Jon touched on part of the reasons – Jihad recruitment.
When a deeply religious people seriously feel their religion [Islam] is threatened that can be the worst kind of war. Not to mention that Al Queda and Taliban like Muslim extremists have the Muslim world as a pool of new recruits.
America only has an impotent Selective Service System, a people not committed to the wars nor ever asked by our government to commit to the shared sacrifice, and about one percent of the population enduring the hardships of war – Holy War or Not.
However, Jon’s and VoteVets point we want to reinforce is that Al Queda, the Taliban and like extremists groups ARE NOT stupid, they have and will continue to use the propaganda of an American War Against Islam [a 21st Century Christian Crusade if I may], especially if Americans take actions to reinforce that view. Here are just two pictures from an online website that uses the internet just for such messages. Unfortunately, we are afraid that too many of the images combined with words of religious intolerance are making it to the Muslim World convincing too many Muslims that American is in a Holy War against Islam.
Short URL: http://www.veteranstoday.com/?p=46530
Posted by Robert L. Hanafin on Aug 27 2010, With 0 Reads, Filed under Vet News, Veteran Service Organizations. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
COMMENTS
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Best to stay out of it, totally. Who needs to join this fray and belittle your organization to their level. The mosque thing is just one more distraction from what counts. Recruit? A joke, by comparison.
As one of the earliest proponents of the “Follow the money trail” on BOTH sides of the ideological fence > Muslim extremists and arch conservative “End of Days /
The Rapture Doomsday Scenario” types who are hell bent on fomenting religious and ideological rage towards ALL muslims, I heartily endorse an FOIA investigation into which organizations are behind this latest PR dust up, where their sources of funding originate ( Isreal ? Talk show charlatans & Muslim extremists, arch conservative GOP religious zealots etc ) and which media sources are bought and paid for by the same organizations and individuals.
Absolutely any thing to make a few billions. Well lets give them a little scare.
A few years ago there was a big issue with Microsoft taking over everything and constantly changing products. NBC
did a documentary visiting Silicon Valley and Tom Brokaw asked one of the geniuses there how those invention keep coming the market while a better one was soon to follow. So the fellow told him the reason for constant changes is that we put something new together and send it out, make our million and let the public decide. Tom asked him “don’t you try it out first if you are already working on a better one? “No, the goal is to make our million”
The startling answer is that the fellow did not appear to think it was any thing unusual Tom question was the crazy one.
Not hard to see what those values do and did to us.
From the how sick and twisted can things get now department:
“WHAT IF there are duplicitous members of radical anti-muslim factions in the US working in collusion with Isreali operatives AND sleeper cell Muslim terrorist groups to stage anti-US actions to foment even more paranoia against Islamic moderates INSIDE the US ?
You heard it here first !
The world is full of sick, evil, self serving people, and THEY are NOT all ZIONISTS/CHRISTIAN RIGHT/TELAVANGILISTS They come from every dark crack and crevis when the lights go out, some might ever be MUSLIMS, or ISLAMOFASHISTS. Who would have thunk it. Is my political incorrectness showing, forgive my insensativity.
well that is the difference between Christian and non-Christian.. nothing more to say on that. Old Leather Neck is right on the money with what he said. my grandfather moved his family to the USA to get away from Hilter and others like him.If he would alive i could see the tears streaming down his face, and him saying,People gave in and became complacent. (sp) why ,why ,why.
The main stream media is dusting off their war drums and exerting every effort to make us hate the Muslims. It is a script that transcends party line. Iran is also being used as the boogeyman while we all know that it is a crock of shit. Hell, Iran has been used since the 70′s, even after we gave them nuclear material and laser tech. for their reactors. They are always a few months away from having a nuclear weapon, well, when it is convenient for us to use this info. Every talk show host is ranting about islamo-phobia. I listen to these fool only to find out what they are selling.I am so frustrated at the magnitude and depth of all of these LIARS posing as reporters, talk show hosts and journalists. They are all tools that are schooled in disinfo. They follow their script no matter. I raed Veterans Today because it is journalism, which is almost an extinct word.
To those sincere upholders of the American constitution and basic decency who have signed this position — Thanks for your decency. But, no thank you. Your position presupposes a dangerous falsehood. It is that Muslims had anything at all to do with the events of 9/11. The researches of Steven Jones, David Ray Griffin, Richard Gage and many others, show otherwise.
There can be no such thing as a Judeo-Christian crusade, for the simple reason that the Talmudic ideology and Christianity are direct opposites. The Talmud, among other atrocious things, says Jesus is in hell, in boiling excrement. But there is, indeed, a conspiracy against Muslims, engineered primarily by Jews (particularly the Neocon variant) and supported by “Christian” Zionists as well as assorted globalists. 9/11 was a defining event of that conspiracy.
If you want proof, just go to Christopher Bollyn’s website, bollyn.com. He spells it all out in great detail. He also speaks out against the idea of an Islamic centre near Ground Zero as a monument to a falsehood — “This is a sophisticated propaganda ploy by the Rothschild/Zionist-controlled U.S. government and media, designed to underline and cement in the public mind the blatant falsehood that Muslims were responsible for the terror attacks of 9-11. This project is founded on the false premise of Muslim guilt and is meant to create a permanent monument to the falsehood that 9-11 was carried out by Islamic terrorists. The people behind this project are the high-level Rothschild agents involved in the Zionist false-flag terrorism and cover-up of 9-11, including New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and media mogul Rupert Murdoch.”
To those American patriots who would like to get their country back, join with Muslims to get a properly constituted judicial investigation of who did 9/11 and why. It would most appropriately be under the auspices of the General Assembly of the United Nations, but a grand jury investigation in New York would also be a good idea.
Once the truth is established, a giant mosque at Ground Zero itself would be an appropriate act towards atonement for millions of lives obliterated and many millions more reduced to despair. But the mosque can wait. Let’s have the judicial inquiry first.
Syed Zaidi (retired professor of philosophy, University of Delhi, India)
Still unsettled about this one gang. What makes my skin crawl is that we have our very own troops retired, honorably discharged, still serving our country that need your help. What is troubling is that you do not lift a finger to help our own that fought for our freedoms when asked…Like Gary Harvey isolated from friends and family and who served his country. One soldier in my opinion is worth more than a muslim mosque.
Many veterans across this land that has served is being stored away, warehoused in nursing homes that do need your help. All I am saying is there are better battles to put your efforts in. This one is O’Bama’s…I agree COL(R) Jack, let him get his hands dirty
Well put Ken A.!!
I don’t see/hear enough support by the Muslim communities when terrorist groups are caught like the recent bust in Canada. If Muslims want to assimilate in the Western World then they should be more vocal and cooperative when terrorist groups are caught.
I don’t see that spirit of cooperation when interviews are done on camera. I only from them that Muslims are being singled out as being all bad. I say “prove it” by speaking out against these terrorist groups and not feel victimized.
Two things:
1. I decided to edit out the rather harsh comment about traditional Veterans Service Organizations after an exchange with Tom Keller below. Reasons given below.
2. I also may not have been clear on the point that one need not have to be a young Iraq or Afghanistan Veteran or family member to sign this petition, if a reader decides to. In only a few days, VoteVets has gotten over 1.500 signatures.
Tom Keller wrote to me:
“Maybe we should get in touch with our younger compatriots, asking them to let us in on the action, giving them the lead of course.”
My response:
Not a problem, maybe I didn’t make myself clear enough in my article, but I did say that “We would like to see every member of Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) join in this effort, but one need not be a Veteran of Iraq or Afghanistan to sign this letter – any Veteran or family member is WELCOME to sign it.
That said, READERS if you go to this link note the selections at the bottom BEFORE hitting the Sign Petition box.
Please enter the following information:
I am a Veteran
I am an OIF/Iraq Veteran
I am an OEF/Afghanistan Veteran
I am a family member of a veteran
http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/6676/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=3992
I was signed in as a member of VoteVets, but one also need not be a member when VoteVets is trying to get as many Veteran and Military Family signatures as possible. You may need to sign in on their site.
Slept on Tom’s comments about being too harsh on the established Veteran Service Organizations, so I decided to edit out that remark. Not only because of what Tom said on balance, but heck I’m a Life Member of both the DAV and VVA.
The main reason and Tom only reinforced it, was that no Veterans Service Organization is going to take a position on this, including our younger brothers and sisters. VoteVets is the political arm (PAC) of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), but we are sure neither IAVA or Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) are going to take an official stance on this.
Members may do so as individual Veterans or Family members, but not representative of the VSOs.
Bobby Hanafin
The Mustang Major
Veterans Today News
Original Message to ME.
On Fri, 8/27/10, Tom Keller wrote:
Hey, Bob,
Here’s the deal. I’d love to sign a/the letter about the right-wing furor over the mosque/community center in New York. However, I joined the Air Force the same year you joined the Army, so I just can’t sign a letter claiming to be a veteran of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Maybe we should get in touch with our younger compatriots, asking them to let us in on the action, giving them the lead of course.
Oh yeah, and second, your characterization of the established veterans’ organization was, I think, just a little harsh, perhaps a bit outdated.
The Disabled American Veterans is just about as progressive as you can get in terms of serving veterans; they just don’t get into any issues that don’t specifically involve programs and services to disabled vets and their families. Some years ago, the National Adjutant of AMVETS called the DAV the left wing of the veterans’ movement because it would get into right-wing political issues. The leaders of the DAV laughed it off; hey, they don’t get into left-wing or centrist issues either.
The VFW is a whole lot better than it used to be, trying to stick with veterans and military issues alone. Once in a while they slip. I think they blew it right at the end of the health care debate. But this kind of stuff doesn’t happen often. I finally caved a few years back, and signed up for life membership after seeing VFW’s improvement in commitment.
Blessings, Bob, and keep up the good work.
Tom Keller
This specifically is the Letter that VoteVets is asking Veterans and Military Family members to sign. It is addressed to the developer of the New York site,Sharif El-Gamal, supporting the right of Muslims to build a community center on property they lawfully bought. This is too important an issue for Veterans and Military Families to stay silent on any longer.
Dear Mr. Gamal,
As veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, we are writing to support your right to build a community center on the property you purchased in Lower Manhattan, and urge you to continue on with your project. We encourage you to distribute this letter to all those who may be interested, so they know that veterans like us see this as an important issue of our very Constitution and our national security.
There are two very important reasons we are choosing to speak out.
First and foremost, when we signed up for [military] service, we swore to uphold the Constitution. For all the talk these days from some quarters about the importance of protecting the Constitution and allowing the free market to work unfettered, those same people are fighting against your community’s right to buy property and worship freely. Our duty to protect the Constitution didn’t end when our service did. It’s up to us to stand up for the right for all Americans to enjoy the Constitutional freedoms that so many around the world don’t have. So, we are standing up for you.
Secondly, allowing the Community Center to move forward will deal a blow to the propaganda of al Qaeda and Islamic extremists, who recruit on the talking point that the United States is in a war against Islam. Of course, we’re not. But, if those forces of intolerance win, it will certainly appear that we are in a war against one religion – Islam.
As Matthew Alexander, a former interrogator in Iraq, and VoteVets.org member wrote at the Huffington Post, “Imagine an al Qaeda recruiter attempting to sway a potential charge by citing an imaginary American war against Muslims but having to face the counterargument that Americans built a Muslim community center near the site of the former Twin Towers. The Cordoba House would be a powerful symbol of U.S. tolerance and freedom that will stand in direct contradiction to al Qaeda’s narrative that Americans hate Muslims.”
That’s the point. Defeating al Qaeda will take the use of force. But, it will also take destroying their ability to recruit, and that means winning hearts and minds. As veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, we know all too well the importance of having the people on your side.
For our Constitution and for the safety of America and our troops currently in the field, we are writing in full support of your project. As veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan, we believe the construction of your community center isn’t “anti-America” at all. In fact, building your community center is about as pro-America as one can get.
Sincerely,
“NEVER FORGET”…..FROM THE HOLOCAUST TO 9/11….TO EXPLOIT EVERY TRAGEDY TOWARD MALEVOLENT ZIONIST ENDS!!”
I have no reservations about supporting the Cordoba Center…… AT ALL.
If it weren’t for the repeated acts of generosity and kindness by Muslimis, this, obvious, American wouldn’t be writing this today.
I apologize to those who have already read, among these comments, about my walking, hitch hiking and camel back travels throughout the Islamic world: Iran, Turkey, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon but the compassionate Muslims who, truly exemplify Islam are fellow victims of America’s Infestation of seemingly Omnipotent Zionist Parasites.
Since the AZC / AIPAC assumed control of US Foreign Policy and Major media, Americans have been Professionally Deceived, Extorted and Manipulated into soaking far away soil with American and Muslim Blood for a Traitorous and Parasitic, Terrorist Zionist Regime in Israel.
For months, these same Exploitative and Traitorous, Zionist Racketeers have Organized, Funded and Pandered to the Basest Elements of American Ignorance and Bigotry for an Orgy of Anti Islamic Hatred with AMERICA’S 9/11 as a Convenient Backdrop.
Ironically, those who helped instigate this AMERICAN Tragedy and whose Genocidal, “Greater Israel” Agenda Benefited the most, now pose to Exploit the Same Tragedy Again and Again for the benefit of their same Nefarious Agenda, here and in Occupied Palestine.
How long will we, LOYAL Americans, allow Bigoted Israeli Zionist Hate Mongers and their Obedient, mindless minions to so Crassly Exploit ANOTHER TRAGEDY; this time, an AMERICAN TRAGEDY, toward their own Greedy and Bloodthirsty Machinations?
Stand Up to Zionist Fueled Hate and War Mongering!!!
Thanks,
Gray
There is no way a mosque should be built near ground zero. THIS IS BULL. Thousands of Americans died at the hands of Muslim fanatics who want to be praised in a mosque at ground zero. To build a mosque at Ground Zero will bring more blood shed and more hatred.
Veterans Today Editorial Comment:
“To build a mosque at Ground Zero will bring more blood shed and more hatred.”
Though I’ve signed VoteVets letter, and still encourage other younger Vets, especially those who served in Iraq and Afghanistan to sign on, you are probably correct about bringing more blood shed and more hatred against the Muslim World.
Frankly, if I were planning on building a Mosque, Buddhist Temple or any other non-Christian church or community center anywhere in New York, the last place I’d put it FOR SECURITY REASONS is near ground zero.
The thought crossed my mind that just like the bombing of black churches down south during the Civil Right movement, the controversy building around this issue boils down to more than one’s interpretation of the U.S. Constitution and Thank God, separation of church and state.
These planners of the Muslim Community Center better be prepared to have the tightest security possible, for they are putting a target on their Mosque just by instigating the Reich Wing, and Christian religious extremists. The potential for blood shed and anger will most likely come from the far Reich Wing.
Politically, morally, and spiritually this is a Pandora’s box. A damned if we do and damned if we don’t scenario that any way it is split places our Christian troops in the Holy Land and SW. Asia in the role of Crusaders.
Now you and I know that ain’t true, but as Jon Stolz and other young Vets point out just the appearance of a War Against Islam by blaming all Muslims for 911 will be the BEST recruiting tool for Muslim extremists to increase their recruitment of moderate Muslim youngsters from around the globe.
We have no other choice but to match this religious zeal and passion by implementation of Selective Service here at home.
If we do that, you thought draft resistance to fighting communism or fighting a yellow raced people was strong, imagine how many young Americans will refuse to be drafted into a Holy War against Islam.
Sorry Master Sergeant but WE need to be finding ways to end the occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan NOT escalate into another Holy War that really has nothing to do with religion anymore then the Crusades of the Middle Ages did.
Bobby Hanafin
The Mustang Major